I remember Mandy Moore as Anne Hathaway’s school rival in The Princess Diaries—I vividly remember her as Nicholas Sparks’ dying ingénue in A Walk to Remember—I even recall her singing days—movie star, sure; singer, sure—but one thing I couldn’t have predicted was Mandy Moore, soap star. Yet here she is, playing the lead in an acclaimed emotional tearjerker—This is Us. (It’s currently airing its first season and has been renewed for two more seasons, ensuring Moore is likely to be busy gracing our TV screens for at least three years.) Moore is simply a symbol of the mass exodus Hollywood has seen since the early 2000s—the internet likes to call it the New Golden Age of Television—we like to call it, holy s#*t, Drew Barrymore’s on TV now? (Her Zombie-themed, odd show Santa Clarita Diet debuted last week).

While Claire Danes made the smooth transition years ago (Homeland), and our girl Priyanka Chopra has gone from Indian theatres straight to American households, (Quantico) just recently and British stars have always seamlessly shifted from film to TV to theatre, the English-language shows from America have witnessed a slow but significant shift in big screen actors moving from the big to little screen. Television to film has always been a more popular shift—Oscar-winning films like ZeroDark Thirty and Argo have supporting casts filled with TV actors.

Back in the day, you (allegedly) went back to TV when you weren’t satisfied with roles offered on film—the status quo has since changed. Part of the reason could be the sheer quality of TV shows being produced—whether it’s Winona Ryder’s harried mother in Stranger Things or Thandie Newton in HBO’s twisted dark Westworld, the gripping story lines, quality of production and characterisation makes the TV world perfect for those who have already proven their acting chops on the big screen. Another reason seems to be employment issues—franchises are in and Oscar-bait is priority, meaning a range of talented actors may not find their place in the world—and the world is watching television.

We love coming home to a show we’re hooked on—it makes for great recall value and while we do enjoy the theatre, there’s something wonderful about binge-watching a well-produced show featuring your high school heartthrob. (Shane West of A Walk to Remember‑fame starred in the short-lived Salem). And ultimately, a great piece of work is a great piece of work, regardless of the medium—and we love the fact that instead of a couple of times a year, two hours each time, we get to see our favourite performers more regularly. While we do love the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Colin Farrell #MCMForever (True Detective), we rounded-up our favourite ladies who are on-screen now—and those making their debuts, soon.